1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device and method, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method of displaying a double screen in a display device capable of displaying the double screen, in which a main screen is displayed at a 4:3 aspect ratio on the right or left side of the entire screen and a subscreen is displayed at the 4:3 aspect ratio on the remaining area.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, home televisions are being developed in such a way that they not only provide users with image information but also allow users to enjoy television watching to the fullest, such that televisions can be connected to communication networks and users can search information. Also, with the advent of wide screen televisions, images are displayed on a wide screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio instead of a screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio of normal televisions. Thus, it has become possible to provide users with high-quality broadcasting services.
Presently, most televisions include a video interface capable of connecting to various video signal inputs. When a user desires to watch a video signal aside from a video signal presently input through a video interface, that is input through another video interface, the user must connect to the other video interface and navigate through an on screen display (OSD) menu using a keyboard or remote control of a television, thus manually converting input/output paths of the video signals.
In current televisions, a double screen can be displayed as a picture-in-picture (PIP) or picture-by-picture (PBP) screen.
FIG. 1A illustrates a conventional PIP screen. In FIG. 1A, the PIP screen includes a main screen and a subscreen displayed on a small portion of the main screen. If the double screen is displayed as the PIP screen, a first video signal of the main screen is scaled to a 16:9 aspect ratio and is then displayed on the entire screen. If the first video signal of the main screen has a 4:3 aspect ratio, it is horizontally enlarged to a 16:9 aspect ratio and is then displayed. Thus, distortion with respect to originally input screen information occurs. Also, in the PIP screen, a second video signal of the subscreen is scaled to a 16:9 aspect ratio and is then displayed on a portion of the entire screen at a specific size. If the second video signal of the subscreen has the 4:3 aspect ratio, it is horizontally enlarged to a 16:9 aspect ratio and is then displayed. Thus, distortion with respect to the originally input screen information occurs.
FIG. 1B illustrates a conventional PBP screen. In FIG. 1B, the entire PBP screen is divided into two parts, i.e., a subscreen 1 and a subscreen 2, wherein the two parts are respectively displayed. If the double screen is displayed as the PBP screen, the entire screen is divided into two parts. The video signals of the two parts are scaled to the same aspect ratio and are then displayed. If a first video signal of the subscreen 1 and an second video signal of the subscreen 2 have 4:3 aspect ratios, they are vertically enlarged to 16:9 aspect ratios and are then displayed. Thus, distortion with respect to original input screen information occurs.
FIG. 1C illustrates a screen with the 16:9 aspect ratio on which an original video signal with the 4:3 aspect ratio is displayed. In FIG. 1C, parts on which the 4:3 aspect ratio format video signal is not displayed are processed to be black.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,643 discloses such double screen display.
When the double screen is displayed as the PIP screen, some parts of a main screen are covered by a subscreen. As a result, all information of the main screen cannot be displayed. Thus, if a user wishes to receive two types of video signals and simultaneously process such video signals, the user has to scroll the main screen or close the subscreen to watch the covered portion of the main screen. Moreover, if input video signals have a 4:3 aspect ratio, they are enlarged horizontally (in a case of the PIP screen) or vertically (in a case of the PBP screen) with respect to originally input screen information and are then displayed. Consequently, the user must watch a distorted screen.